


사랑이 그렇게 넌 만만하니 (Is Love That Easy For You?)

by doivent



Category: VIXX
Genre: Bets & Wagers, Canon Compliant, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-03 16:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8720335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doivent/pseuds/doivent
Summary: Ken makes a bet with Hongbin and Hyuk that he can get Leo to say "I like you" before they can. His method of winning becomes a problem, mostly for himself.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iverins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iverins/gifts).



> To my very talented recipient! If only I could have filled all of your prompts for you. I had a couple of directions in mind for this, but in the end I went with the stupidest one. I hope it makes your holidays a little brighter.
> 
> Please pretend that any puns that only work in English are loose translations.
> 
> Thanks to a. for the writing companionship, e. for dim sum and holding my hand, and unni for holding my other hand.

"I heard Leo hyung likes you," Sanghyuk says.

"Everybody loves me," Jaehwan replies, stretching out dramatically on the bed of his hotel room. Hongbin laughs and pokes his leg with a socked foot. Case in point, Jaehwan thinks fondly, giving his Sapporo roommate a smile. "Anyway, he likes all of us, right? Even you, you demon."

"No, no, not just _likes_ you. I mean"—Sanghyuk makes his voice as deep as it can go—"his feelings towards you are..." He snorts and cuts himself off, and his shoulders shake with muted giggles as he sticks his face into the pillow he's hugging on the opposite bed.

Jaehwan is unimpressed. "Don't tell lies if you don't want to go to hell."

"I've heard it too," says Hongbin.

"You too, then," Jaehwan says to him. It's not that it's completely unbelievable. These days, it's more common to hear about members of the same group developing feelings for each other out of constant exposure, lack of exposure to other people, or just plain boredom. Jaehwan isn't closed-minded to things like that. But it's still a serious charge—too serious to be tossed out so casually like this, if it were real. He tosses his head back and puts on his best imitation of a high-class girl in a drama. "I don't pay attention to idle gossip."

"You don't pay attention to anything," Hongbin replies. "The fansign last week, when he wouldn't stop poking you?"

"You wouldn't stop poking me either." Jaehwan grabs Hongbin's calf suddenly. "Are you in love with me, Lee Hongbin?"

Hongbin laughs and shakes his leg until Jaehwan lets go. "Everybody is, right? Especially Taekwoon hyung."

Jaehwan tsks. "What am I supposed to do with this information, anyway? It's not like he's even told me himself."

"Good luck with that," Hongbin snorts. "I bet I could get him to say 'I like you' before you hear it."

Sanghyuk lifts his face from the pillow with a look of dismay. "You know you can't say the word 'bet' around—"

"I'll take you both on," Jaehwan says.

"Me?" Sanghyuk redirects his look toward Jaehwan. "Why me? I'll never get him to say it!"

"All the more reason for you to compete," says Hongbin with a grin.

"And the loser has to room with N hyung for the rest of the year," Jaehwan concludes.

Sanghyuk groans. "I'm already rooming with him right now. Now I'm really not doing it."

"How do we know it's real though?" Hongbin says. "You could just record him talking to his nephew and say you got it."

Jaehwan thinks for a moment. "Then you have to make him say your name. 'Hongbin, I like you.' Like that. And you can't tell him exactly what to say, he has to say it himself."

Sanghyuk shakes his head. "Impossible." He points at Jaehwan, his other arm still wrapped around the pillow. "Jaehwan hyung has an advantage, though. ROVIX already made you an official couple. 'The main vocal line who are on good terms.'"

Jaehwan grins and wags his eyebrows at Hongbin. "Then the next step is the proposal."

Hongbin shakes his head. "This bet won't last a day. All you have to do is approach it the right way. Then you'll have the rest of 2016 to seduce Cha Hakyeon."

"How dare you say such filth to me," high-class girl Jaehwan gasps, and shoves Hongbin off the bed.

Later, after Sanghyuk's gone back to his own room and Hongbin's in the bathroom washing his face, Jaehwan keeps replaying their conversation in his head. _Leo hyung likes you._ No matter how he thinks about it, it's a weird thing for Sanghyuk to bring up; Jaehwan can't decide if it'd be weirder if it were false or it were true. The bet they've made is weird, too, but the three of them have definitely made stupider bets before—and more challenging.

The best thing to do, he decides, is to finish it in one blow. The next morning, he doesn't hesitate before jumping on Taekwoon's back in the hotel lobby like they've been separated for months, not hours. "Leo Leo," he says, as Taekwoon buckles forward under the sudden weight and struggles to regain his balance. "Hyung, look at me."

Taekwoon ignores him and continues talking to Hakyeon and their manager about the schedule for that day. Jaehwan pokes his head over his shoulder, but all Taekwoon does is support his weight. Eventually Jaehwan gives up and slips off, pouting.

"It's like you don't even like me," he says loudly, but the only response he gets is Hongbin and Sanghyuk laughing at him. He scrunches his face at them. It's clear that they were wrong about Taekwoon, just as Jaehwan suspected. But a bet is a bet. If Jaehwan wants results, he's just going to have to try a little harder.

 

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

 

The next day, Taekwoon's gone for a good chunk of the evening, filming a VIXX TV episode with Sanghyuk, and Jaehwan goes into action. While Hongbin is watching a movie on his phone, Jaehwan sneaks out of their hotel room and knocks on the door of Taekwoon and Wonsik's room.

Wonsik opens the door. "Oh, hyung, what's up?"

"Hey," Jaehwan says, trying to seem casual. "Listen, you know how Taekwoon and I have to do a duet performance when we get back to Korea? Uh, Hanbyul hyung texted me that it'd be good for us to get some practice in, so I thought maybe you and I could switch rooms."

"Switch?" Wonsik raises his eyebrows. "Did you check with him already? And Hongbin's okay with it?"

"Eh, Hongbin's going back tomorrow anyway, and you still have to shoot your VIXX TV together, right?"

"We already did it."

Jaehwan lets out a heavy sigh and rubs his face with one hand. It's time to pull out the heavy artillery. "Please, Wonsik?" he says, making his voice as high and cute as it can go and sticking out his lower lip. "Hyung _really_ needs to practice. Can you please, please do that? Hyung will make it up to you, promise. We all like each other, right?"

He enjoys watching the struggle on Wonsik's face, but it only lasts a few seconds before Wonsik sighs, defeated. "Okay, I'll get my bag."

"Hyung will help you carry it," Jaehwan sing-songs. It's too bad they weren't betting over this guy instead, he thinks.

They go back to his room together. Hongbin barely greets them at first, but when he sees Wonsik's suitcase rolling behind him he does a double-take and pulls out his earbuds. "What's going on? Are you moving in?"

Wonsik's head turns to Jaehwan. "Didn't you say he was okay with it?"

"I didn't. Give me your key." Jaehwan's already got his bag packed up, and he holds out his hand to Wonsik.

Wonsik has the key card in his hand, but he keeps looking back and forth between Jaehwan and Hongbin uneasily. Suddenly Hongbin's eyes go wide. "Hey, wait a minute—"

Jaehwan gives up and snatches the card out of Wonsik's hand. "Thanks, Wonsik!" he yells, dashing out the door and down the hall, his bag threatening to pop open as he runs. He manages to get into his new room and slam the door just as Hongbin arrives. Hongbin won't stop banging on the door, so Jaehwan locks himself in the washroom and blasts Justin Bieber for half an hour to drown him out. When he comes out, the banging is gone, and his victory is secured.

Taekwoon returns about an hour later. When he sees Jaehwan lying on one of the beds he stops with his coat still half off his shoulder. "Is Wonsik here?" he asks.

Jaehwan pauses the RPG he'd been playing on his phone. "Ah, I switched with him so we could practice together. Sung Sikyung sunbaenim's song." He smiles. "How was filming? Did Hyogi behave himself?"

Taekwoon stands and looks at him for a moment. "Send Wonsik back," he says.

"What, is it a problem?" Jaehwan tries to put on his charming voice again. "We've been hotel roommates before. And we all like each other. You like me, right?"

Taekwoon doesn't bite. "I can't practice for the duet," he says. He finishes hanging up his coat and goes over to the desk by the window. "I have to read the script for _Mata Hari._ Rehearsals start after we get back. Send Wonsik back."

"Okay, okay. I'll just practice alone, then."

Taekwoon doesn't even look at him. "Just be quiet about it."

Even though the duet practice had been a front, Jaehwan still feels disappointed that it isn't actually happening. And sitting with his back turned and his shoulders a little hunched over the desk, Taekwoon looks about as responsive as a rock, which is equally disappointing. It must be the bet that's making him feel this way. If they were just sharing a hotel room and Taekwoon was ignoring him like this, it'd be fine.

Jaehwan resumes playing his game with the sound off. At first the only sound in the room is Taekwoon turning the pages of his script. After one or two pages, he sings a tiny snippet of a melody, as if testing it out. He's singing quietly, but his voice still makes Jaehwan's ears perk up and the blood move in his body. Maybe it's the unfamiliar melody that makes his chest feel full all of a sudden; he's heard Taekwoon sing often enough, though rarely when it's just the two of them.

"That's really nice, hyung," he says. Taekwoon jerks upright, like he'd forgotten Jaehwan was there.

"Thanks," he says. He turns back to his script, then adds, "Send Wonsik back, please."

Jaehwan's heart drops. "I'm being quiet," he says. He hates how whiny his voice sounds, but he can't help it. "Why can't I stay?"

Taekwoon turns around. He's biting his lip, looking genuinely sorry. "Please," he says. "Let's do the practice another time."

The whole objective is to stay on Taekwoon's good side, so Jaehwan says, "Fine." He gets up from the bed and puts what little he'd unpacked back into his bag. "Good luck, Armand hyungnim," he says before he goes, but Taekwoon doesn't answer.

When Jaehwan returns to his old room Wonsik is already asleep in bed. Jaehwan unceremoniously sits on him. "Wake up," he says. "We're switching back. Don't say anything," he says to Hongbin, raising a finger. "I don't want to hear it."

Hongbin blinks innocently. "All I was going to say was that Wonsik is a much better roommate than you. No wonder hyung wants him back."

"Ha ha," says Jaehwan. "Come on, get up," he says to Wonsik, who's blearily pulling himself together, sitting upright and rubbing at his eyes. Jaehwan's impatient to hand back his key card and boot him out the door. He doesn't even listen to what Hongbin's crowing at him; he immediately jams headphones in his ears and puts on the song he and Taekwoon are supposed to sing for their duet.

 _"Leo hyung's feelings towards you," my ass,_ he texts to Sanghyuk. All Sanghyuk writes back is _HAHAHAHAHAHA._

 

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

 

Jaehwan will never admit it to Hongbin, but it seems like he was right: Taekwoon will probably say "I like you" to him before he ever says it to Jaehwan, and the chances of him saying it to Hongbin are zero. It's been almost two weeks and neither of them have made any progress.

Still, Hongbin seems determined to overcome those odds, and he's willing to make himself look stupid to do it. "Olive juice, olive juice," he says to Taekwoon over and over again while they're stuck waiting backstage at the Golden Disk Awards. Even Wonsik turns up the volume on his music and walks away when Hongbin won't stop. "Pretend I'm your waiter and you really want some olive juice. Come on, just say it once, please."

"Hey, leave my duet partner alone," Jaehwan says. He puts his arms around Taekwoon and Taekwoon resists at first, then leans into Jaehwan's embrace. "Come on, hyung, let's get away from this weirdo."

"You're the weirdo," Taekwoon says, but he's smiling, and Jaehwan smiles back.

"What's gotten into the two of you?" Hakyeon says. He looks from them to Hongbin. "You never fight over me like this. I'm a little jealous."

Hongbin rolls his eyes. "Please."

"It's really funny," Sanghyuk pipes up from where he's lying on some mats on the floor. "The two of them—"

"Nope, shh," Jaehwan says. "Maybe it'll be your turn soon," he says to Hakyeon. "I know our Hyogi is really eager to show you some love and affection."

"I know someone else who'd like to show some love and affection," Sanghyuk intones. Jaehwan lets go of Taekwoon, runs over and mimes kicking him in the face. "That's a good thing!" Sanghyuk shrieks as he rolls around, shielding himself from Jaehwan's fake blows. "You'll win faster!"

Hakyeon raises an eyebrow. "Win?"

"Win at the summer Idol Athletics," Jaehwan blurts, before Sanghyuk can ruin it any further. "Winning a medal last week got me pumped up. Taekwondo!" He jumps on Sanghyuk, beating his fists into the floor on either side of his head as Sanghyuk wriggles and kicks his feet. "I'm practicing right now."

Hakyeon keeps giving him a weird look, but all he says is, "You can't beat up your own teammate." Jaehwan can hear Taekwoon laughing a little and turns to beam at him from over his shoulder. Unfortunately, that's all the opening Sanghyuk needs to yank him down to the floor and into a headlock.

"Nice job," Sanghyuk says, once Hakyeon and Taekwoon have been summoned elsewhere in the room.

"Pfft," says Jaehwan, still lying half on top of him, catching his breath. "Maybe if Hongbin hadn't attracted so much attention with his gigantic mouth..."

"My gigantic brain," Hongbin corrects him. "I'll get it, you'll see."

"In that case, let's bet on how long that'll take," Jaehwan says.

Sanghyuk chuckles. "Over-under, one lifetime."

Jaehwan doesn't bother with stupid tricks. His method is simple: Just be nice. It's time-consuming, too, but Jaehwan at least has an advantage—Hongbin's so busy with his new drama that for half of VIXX's schedules he isn't even there. And Jaehwan intends to use his advantage to the fullest.

He chats with Taekwoon about acting in musicals and brings him his microphone when they're rehearsing. At Gimpo airport, he attaches himself to Taekwoon as soon as they clear security, leading him down the moving walkways. "Depend on me, hyung!" he says. "Get it?" Taekwoon doesn't respond to his wordplay any more than he had to Hongbin's, but he does hold on to Jaehwan's backpack all the way to their gate. They get their picture posted on Twitter again and Jaehwan feels like he's winning, even if there's only one way for him to win.

And gradually, he sees Taekwoon start to respond. He gives Jaehwan special attention during their interviews and fanmeetings, even if it's just resting a hand on his shoulder when they don't have to talk. He always makes sure to sit next to him when they eat dinner.

"Do you believe me now?" Sanghyuk asks Jaehwan when they get back to their hotel.

"I believe in my hard work and determination."

Sanghyuk raises his eyebrows skeptically. "Whatever you say."

Jaehwan thinks of what Hongbin had said, that he didn't pay attention to Taekwoon's behaviour before. It's not that he hadn't noticed it, but he hadn't seen it as anything but an annoyance back then. Now it feels like there's a different tone to it.

When they're back in Korea, he brings takeout coffee to Taekwoon while he's in his room studying his musical script. "How's it going?" he asks.

He still expects Taekwoon to ignore him like he had back in Sapporo. But Taekwoon takes the coffee from him with both hands. "Thanks," he says. He puffs out his cheeks, looking down at his script. "It's okay. I'm getting closer, I think. To Armand."

"Hmm." Jaehwan leans one hand on Taekwoon's desk, peering at the script over his shoulder. "So you can fly a plane now like him?"

"No, it's not like that," Taekwoon says. He grins. "Did you become a chess grandmaster when you played one in that musical? Kentoly?"

"Yeah, but now I'm Cinderella's prince," Jaehwan replies. Taekwoon chuckles, and reaches up one hand to ruffle Jaehwan's bangs. Jaehwan shrinks back a bit from the unexpected contact, and Taekwoon pauses, but keeps his hand where it is.

There's a knock on the door. They both turn to look, and Jaehwan startles when he sees Hongbin standing in the doorway, then laughs when he sees he's holding a paper cup of coffee identical to the one Taekwoon already has. "Who's that for?" Jaehwan says.

Hongbin looks from Taekwoon at his desk to the coffee in his hand. "I'm going to go pour it in your Jordans," he says, and he turns around and heads for Jaehwan's room.

Jaehwan bolts after him, trying to jump on his back. "Watch it!" Hongbin shouts, shielding the coffee cup with his body, but he's laughing. "Wait, let me put this down first."

"And then what?"

Hongbin puts the cup down on the living room table. "Then I'll kick your ass."

Jaehwan gets into his best fighting stance. "Bring it on."

They exchange a few air punches, and then Jaehwan jumps on Hongbin, half a tackle and half a hug. Hongbin collapses a little, breathless with laughter. As they turn around, walking over each other's feet, Jaehwan sees Taekwoon standing in the doorway of his room, watching them. His expression is impossible to read, as usual. Still, there's something in it that makes Jaehwan stop and let Hongbin go. Taekwoon just goes back into his room and shuts the door.

Hongbin lightly smacks Jaehwan's leg to get his attention. "Do you forfeit yet?" he asks. "Face it, no matter how long you drag it out, he's never going to confess."

"It's not about a confession," Jaehwan says. "It's about beating you." But even he isn't so sure anymore.

 

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

 

February is a relatively quiet month. Taekwoon and Hongbin still have rehearsals or filming every day, but they're on a break from promoting in Japan, and their next Korean comeback is still being planned by the company. The rest of them are responsible for their own schedules, but Hakyeon makes sure they get together as a group at least once a week just to stay in form. After practice, Taekwoon takes Jaehwan's hand when they're going into the van so they can sit next to each other. On the ride back to the dorm, he falls asleep and lets his head rest on Jaehwan's shoulder. Jaehwan's phone vibrates in his lap.

_**Hongbin:** It doesn't count if he doesn't say anything._

"I know," Jaehwan says to Hongbin in the seat behind him. Taekwoon shifts and resettles his head on his shoulder, never opening his eyes.

When they get back to the dorm, Jaehwan takes Taekwoon into his room with an arm around him and sets him down on the bed. "There you go, Armand hyungnim," he says. He tries to leave, but Taekwoon doesn't let go of him, and he gets pulled down onto the bed, too, padded winter coat and all.

They lie like that for a bit. Taekwoon is a soft, solid weight beside Jaehwan, giving off a steady warmth under the cold polyester shell of his coat. His arms are loose around Jaehwan's neck. It's completely dark in the room except for a shaft of yellow light from the hallway highlighting Taekwoon's face. His eyelashes cast small, lacy shadows on his cheek. Jaehwan feels a swell of affection in his chest, and he shuts his eyes too, hoping it will go away.

Eventually, once he's sure that Taekwoon is asleep, he carefully slips out of his arms and gets up to go. He feels Taekwoon's hand grab his shoulder and gasps.

"Jaehwan-ah, where are you going?" Taekwoon mumbles. The softness of his voice makes Jaehwan's stomach hurt.

"I have to brush my teeth," he says. "You know how long Hakyeon spends in the bathroom."

Taekwoon hums. "Okay."

Jaehwan's stomach still feels weird, but he knows he can't pass up this opportunity. "You like me, right?"

"Mmm," Taekwoon says. Jaehwan waits, but that's all he gets.

He leaves Taekwoon's room and goes into the bathroom, turns on the light and locks the door behind him. It takes a moment before everything catches up to him.

"Fuck," he whispers.

When he's done washing up, Wonsik is waiting outside the door with his arms crossed and a serious look on his face. "Hey, I didn't take that long," Jaehwan says. But Wonsik doesn't go for the empty bathroom, just keeps glaring at him. "What? What's the matter?"

"You can't keep doing this to Taekwoon," he says. "It's not right."

Jaehwan feels like he's been punched in the chest. "What do you mean? It's fine. I'm just being nice to him, that's all."

"Yeah, just for some dumb bet you made with Hongbin!"

"Shh!" Jaehwan frowns at him. "How do you even know about that?"

Wonsik rolls his head from side to side, exasperated. "Hongbin told me. But you're obviously acting funny. You think Taekwoon hasn't noticed that the way you act around him has changed?"

Jaehwan raises an eyebrow. "So does he like me or what? Otherwise what's it to him?"

"I can't talk about other people's private business."

"So that means yes. Why can't he just say it, then?"

"It's not that easy," Wonsik says. Jaehwan looks at his serious, sloping eyes, and for a second, he thinks Wonsik might be talking about something else. But Wonsik is the one who's spent the most time with Taekwoon lately, besides maybe Hakyeon. No matter how he feels about Jaehwan, it makes sense that he'd be concerned for Taekwoon the most. "Just think about what you're doing. I know you only care about winning, but some things aren't a joke."

"I take winning very seriously," Jaehwan replies, but it's to the back of Wonsik's shaking head as he walks away. When he goes, Jaehwan wishes he'd said something like, _I care about Taekwoon, too,_ just to prove it to him. But he can't bring himself to say it out loud without feeling weird all over again.

 

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

 

The next day marks one month since they made the bet in Sapporo. Jaehwan stands outside Taekwoon's room with his phone in his hand, feeling like he's about to walk into an ambush like in the movies, the final boss's lair. He turns on the voice recorder, then tucks his phone into his pocket. It's time to end this.

Taekwoon's inside, sprawled out on his bed with most of the lights out except for a lamp. His musical script is beside him, but he's watching music videos instead of reading it. When Jaehwan comes in he sits up and takes off his headphones. "Hi."

"Hey," Jaehwan says. He leans back on Taekwoon's desk, trying to be casual. "Are you busy?"

"No." Taekwoon smiles at him, and Jaehwan feels his face gets a little hot. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to ask you a few things." Still keeping his slow, nonchalant pace, he closes the door, then sits down on the edge of the bed. He feels nervous, like he's at an audition. "You know, we're the main vocal line that's on good terms, right?"

Taekwoon snorts. "Yeah. Gayoung noona came up with that, right?"

"Did she? It's nice of her to promote us so well." Jaehwan's babbling now, and he clenches his fists into Taekwoon's sheets, trying to focus on his goal. "I just want to know... Do you like me?"

He turns his head over his shoulder to look at Taekwoon as he says it, and when their eyes meet, he stops. Taekwoon is smiling, with his mouth a little open. He runs his tongue over his teeth like he's thinking of how to answer. Jaehwan's face is burning up now, and he can feel every cubic centimetre of air between them pulling at him, trying to drag him closer.

"I mean, we all like each other, of course," he continues, looking down as he smooths out the wrinkles in the bedsheet. "But I want to know, do we just like each other as the main vocal line, or do we like each other as people, too?" As he says it, he realizes that he's asking himself, not Taekwoon. But only Taekwoon's answer can determine what his own answer will be.

Taekwoon's answer is to bend forward and kiss him on the cheek, a small, quick smack that's cool on his hot skin. Jaehwan jerks backwards at the contact on reflex. His heart is racing. "What was that?" he says. He laughs, but it's hollow, all air.

"I like you," Taekwoon says, and he presses his lips to Jaehwan's cheek again.

This time he lingers, and Jaehwan stays still, but his eyes tremble shut. "You're weird," Jaehwan says.

"Me?" Taekwoon's giggly. "You've been weird this whole time."

He laughs, and then he's silent. The air between them is heavy now. Something about Taekwoon's smile makes Jaehwan bold.

"You know, if you really liked me," he says, "you'd..." _Help me win this bet against Hongbin,_ is what he's supposed to say. It's against the rules, but Hongbin doesn't have to know.

"Hmm? If I really liked you?" Taekwoon repeats softly. It's not his default sullen quiet, but a kind that makes Jaehwan's insides melt. "What would I do?"

Taekwoon's face is so close; his eyes glow like the flame of a candle, low, hot light. Jaehwan licks his lips. "You'd prove it," he says, and leans in.

Jaehwan's kissed before: co-stars, ex-girlfriends, one or two friends when they were bored. It's new every time, but he doesn't remember his pulse pounding as much as it does when he kisses Taekwoon. Maybe with his first ex-girlfriend, his first kiss which had been their last, but even then, he doesn't remember the feeling he has now, of being thirsty and having water poured into his mouth. He wanted this, he realizes. He didn't know how much.

Taekwoon doesn't waste any time. He holds Jaehwan's face with both hands, leans into him with all his weight until they both fall back onto the bed. When they break apart, he puts his arms around Jaehwan and holds him fiercely close. His heartbeat thumps against Jaehwan's chest, as fast as Jaehwan's own. Jaehwan doesn't know whether to keep his eyes open or not. He wants to look at Taekwoon, but he's too overwhelmed.

His phone is digging into his leg. Without thinking, he reaches into his pocket. His fingers fumble a little, but he manages to get his phone out and place it beside the bed.

" _Hi,_ " Taekwoon says.

Jaehwan laughs breathlessly into his shoulder. "Hi."

" _I just wanted to ask you a few things,_ " his own voice answers him. Taekwoon's already let go of him and sitting up, and it takes a moment before Jaehwan realizes what's going on.

"Shit," he says. "Shit, shit, shit." He rolls off the side of the bed, taking one of the sheets along with him, and drops his phone twice before he can finally swipe at the screen and shut off the recording. He looks back up at Taekwoon on the bed. "Uh." He tries to think of some excuse, any excuse, but he's coming up blank. The weird feeling in his body is back, but this time there's a drip of nausea in it.

Taekwoon sits all the way back on his heels. "It's your bet with Hongbin, right?"

"And Hyuk, Hyuk is in it too." _Fuck._ "Wait, how do you know about that?"

Taekwoon's eyes are dangerous. "How do you think?"

Jaehwan groans and presses his palms into his eyes, dropping his phone on the floor again. "Kim Wonsik," he says. "Goddamn it. 'I don't talk about people's personal business.' Like hell you don't."

Taekwoon gets up from the bed. "Wait," Jaehwan says, but Taekwoon doesn't. He goes out, slamming the door behind him. Jaehwan can hear the outside door slam, too, and then the shuffling of the others as they come out from their own rooms. "Shit," he groans, rolling around with his hands still on his face.

Without leaving any time to explain himself or take a coat, he runs out the door, flying down the stairs when the elevator doesn't come instantaneously. Taekwoon is down the street, making quick, long strides down the hill away from their dorm. "Hyung!" he shouts. Taekwoon doesn't slow down at all. Jaehwan sprints and manages to catch up with him. He tries to grab him, but he slips and falls onto the snowy ground. "Fuck!"

Taekwoon stands over him. "Get up," he says. "You look pathetic."

"Fuck you," Jaehwan snaps. He gets to his feet and dusts off the snow clinging to his sweatpants, then takes a deep breath. His butt hurts, but the pain is making him calm down a little. "Look, hyung, I can explain, if you'd just give me a chance."

"I've already heard an explanation," Taekwoon says, but he doesn't walk away. "The only thing you can tell me is if it was real or fake."

Jaehwan lowers an eyebrow. "What, the bet? The bet was real. That's why Hongbin was asking you dumb shit about olives or whatever."

"Not the bet. Everything you've been doing the last month. Your feelings."

Jaehwan's mouth drops open. "My feelings?"

"Hyuk already told you about my feelings."

"How the fuck do you know so much?" Jaehwan grumbles. Taekwoon just stands there, hands in the pockets of his padded coat, waiting for his answer. "I mean, you already know, don't you?"

"Say it." Taekwoon's breath comes out in a cloud over his face. "If you won't say it, I won't believe it."

Jaehwan thinks about being back inside Taekwoon's room, dark and warm, Taekwoon's thumbs stroking against his cheek, Taekwoon's eyes only looking at him. It hasn't even been fifteen minutes since then, but all he wants is to go back.

"I like you," he says. "Taekwoon, I really like you."

Taekwoon walks closer to him, his hands still in the pockets of his coat. "If you really liked me," he says, his voice cutting through the late-night winter silence, "you'd prove it." He walks closer and closer to Jaehwan, until there's no space between them, and wraps his open coat around him, pulling him into warmth.

 

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

 

" _Han Sanghyuk, I like you._ "

Sanghyuk plays the recording of Taekwoon's voice eight times in a row, and the triumphant grin on his face only grows brighter each time. "There it is," he says grandly to Hongbin and Jaehwan. "It's finally over."

"That's not fair at all," Hongbin says, crossing his arms. "You got him in a headlock."

"You can't prove that."

"It's a video!"

"Anyway," Sanghyuk says, sitting back on the couch and putting his arms around the two of them, "enjoy spending all of your time overseas with N hyung."

"We're gonna split him, right?" Jaehwan says to Hongbin. "Going three to a room makes no sense. And this way, since Hyuk cheated, it's less of a punishment for us."

"I can hear everything," Hakyeon yells from his room.

"Honestly," Sanghyuk says, "I'm just relieved that I don't have to hear you make any more stupid puns again, or watch Jaehwan hyung make a fool of himself for nothing."

"Oh, he'll still be making a fool of himself," Hongbin says, and Sanghyuk gives him a high-five. Jaehwan gets up from the couch and gives them both the middle finger as he goes.

When he goes into Taekwoon's room he immediately flops onto the bed. "You're already too comfortable," Taekwoon complains from the desk, turning away from his work.

"It's your punishment for letting Hyuk win. He didn't even want to be in on it!"

"He deserved it the most."

"Ohh, what does that mean?" Jaehwan sits up, indignant. "What about me? Aren't we on good terms?"

Taekwoon puts down his script and goes to the bed, resting his chin on Jaehwan's shoulder. "He deserved it the most," he says, "because he gave you the information in the first place. You can admit that, right?"

He nuzzles his nose into Jaehwan's cheek, and Jaehwan leans into him sideways, letting his warmth cover his whole side. "Let's see," he says out loud, as Taekwoon wraps his arms around him and starts kissing up his neck. "If I have to room with Hakyeon half the time, that still means the other half I can room with you. Are you okay with that?"

Taekwoon nods. "As long as you don't talk this much all the time," he says, and he tilts Jaehwan's face toward him and kisses him.


End file.
